Palm Springs crash kills Chula Vista man; 41-year-old driver arrested on suspected DUI

Maria Sestito, Andy Abeyta, Paul Albani-Burgio and Christopher Damien, Palm Springs Desert Sun
·2 min read

A Chula Vista man died Monday evening following a five-vehicle collision at the intersection of North Palm Canyon and Alejo Road in Palm Springs that closed the road. A 41-year-old driver from Oregon has been arrested and jailed.

Seven people were injured and four were transported to local hospitals. One of them, Leon Reynoso, 36, was pronounced dead at Desert Regional Medical Center, the Riverside County Coroner's Office said Tuesday. At least one other person sustained major injuries.

Andrew Watson Hibbard was taken into custody following the crash. He is facing charges of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter involving intoxication and DUI causing bodily injury, according to Riverside County jail records. His bail has been set at $2 million.

Palm Springs Police released this diagram of the fatal five-vehicle crash that occurred Monday evening, Dec. 27, 2021, at North Palm Canyon Drive and Alejo Road.
Palm Springs Police released this diagram of the fatal five-vehicle crash that occurred Monday evening, Dec. 27, 2021, at North Palm Canyon Drive and Alejo Road.

The wreck took place at about 5 p.m. The department issued an alert at 5:42 p.m. notifying motorists that the road was closed and to avoid the area. The road later reopened.

The preliminary investigation has determined that Hibbard was driving a conversion van traveling southbound on North Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs Police said Tuesday morning.

Witnesses and evidence at the scene indicated to police that Hibbard was speeding before hitting the rear of a Tesla that was stopped behind three other vehicles at the red light at Palm Canyon Drive at Alejo Road.

Andrew Watson Hibbard was taken into custody following a fatal crash in downtown Palm Springs on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. He is facing charges of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter involving intoxication and DUI causing bodily injury.
Andrew Watson Hibbard was taken into custody following a fatal crash in downtown Palm Springs on Monday, Dec. 27, 2021. He is facing charges of murder, gross vehicular manslaughter involving intoxication and DUI causing bodily injury.

The impact from Hibbard’s vehicle forced the Tesla into another vehicle, causing a chain reaction of collisions. Reynoso was the driver of the Tesla, police say. A total of five vehicles were involved in the crash.

Hibbard was previously arrested by Palm Springs Police for a DUI in 2008. He spent five days in jail and was on probation for three years, according to Riverside County court records.

Court records from Multnomah County, Oregon, show Hibbard pleaded guilty to a DUI there in 2006. He was admitted to a diversion program and the conviction was later dismissed in 2008.

Hibbard is a resident of Portland, Oregon, police said.

A GoFundMe page was set up to raise money for Reynoso's funeral expenses. It had a $20,000 goal, of which $2,815 had been raised from 32 donations as of 11:10 a.m. Tuesday.

Editor's Note: This story was updated after Palm Springs Police issued a clarification of previous information about the number of people injured in the crash.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Andrew Hibbard arrested in fatal Palm Springs crash; DUI suspected